Current techniques for three-dimensional (3D) printing include photopolymerization, granular-materials binding, and fused deposition modeling. In the case of fused deposition modeling, layers of material, such as sugar, plastic, or metal, are extruded, often in the form of small beads that make up strings, also called “filaments.” Through extruding layer after layer of these filaments a 3D object is created. These 3D objects can include highly complex designs. In fact, almost anything that a computer can model a fused deposition printer can create, from candy art, to a plastic chair, to a metal sculpture.
Current fused deposition modeling techniques, however, often fail to produce highly smooth surfaces. This is due to the size of the filaments. When a change is made from one layer to another layer, a “step” is created that is about the size of the filament's cross-section. These steps can appear as lines or ridges, which limits both the accuracy and the aesthetics of 3D objects created through fused deposition techniques.
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